


Manipulation

by Rivulet027



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Bad Ending, Flashbacks, Gen, Lies, Mentioned John Constantine, POV Mick Rory, Past Brainwashing, Past Relationship(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Mick Rory, Season/Series 04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 08:33:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17525333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivulet027/pseuds/Rivulet027
Summary: Neron captures Mick and Gary.





	Manipulation

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with DC. It's not my toy box and I'm merely playing.
> 
> A/N: Post Legends of To-Meow-Meow, Opens with Mick having a flashback to when the Time Masters were brainwashing him. Written for the fandomweekly on DW challenge devil's advocate with the bonus challenge of way back in/include a flashback.

The cell he and Gary are thrown into shouldn’t be difficult to break out of. The bars are old and the lock should be easy to manipulate, except Mick can’t seem to concentrate on that right now. All he can remember is the last time Declan threw him in a cell. All he can see is Declan’s sneering face as he orders Mick to forget Len or they’ll manipulate him into hating Len.

Gary tells him to take a deep breath. His voice is soothing, but Mick’s having a hard time holding onto that. It takes him a moment to remember that he’s already killed Declan. Len’s dead too. Declan had made him hate Len. Mick collapses back against the nearest wall and lets Gary talk him through deep breathing. He needs to concentrate on the here and now. He needs to stall and be ready to break them out of here when the team eventually shows up to rescue them.

He scrubs a hand down his face and thanks Gary. Gary nods, then sits down near him.

“Gonna get your suit dirty,” Mick points out.

“I’ve had worse,” Gary shrugs.

Mick grunts an acknowledgement.

“I think I could break us out of here, but I don’t think we’d make it out of the building,” Gary whispers.

“We wouldn’t,” Mick agrees.

They’ve could die trying to escape or they can hope they’re not dead by the time their teams shows up.

“It’s not us he’s interested in,” he continues. 

“Neron wants John,” Gary agrees.

Mick turns to take in the determined smile on Gary’s face. Nerd is still smiling and it a sudden realization that Gary copes by smiling, he deals with stress by smiling through it. Mick wonders how much different his life would be if that was how he managed to cope with things.

Mick leans in close. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Stupid?” Gary looks generally confused. Heroes, how did he end up surrounded by heroes? Right, Len made a decision and Mick went along with it.

“No sacrifice plays,” Mick growls.

He wants to tell Gary to follow his lead, but he’s sure they’re being watched. Footsteps echo briefly as someone approaches. He had to be close by because he’s soon turning to peer at both of them. Mick gets an uneasy feeling at the hungry way Neron is eyeing Gary.

“Gary Green,” Neron greets. Mick tries not to roll his eyes, of course he’s going to be ignored. “I believe we have a mutual interest in John Constantine.”

“I’m sure we don’t,” Gary contradicts. 

“You slayed a dragon together,” Neron points out.

Mick laughs before Gary can say something incriminating. Finally Neron seems to notice him. Mick smirks slowly, as if he’s sure of himself. He doesn’t know what Constanstine’s told Neron’s host. Still, he lets the smirk slide into place as he raises his eyebrow in faux amusement. “On John’s first mission with the team we used the nerd as unicorn bait. John doesn’t keep it in his pants. If he was so interested in Gary, he wouldn’t have still been a virgin.”

Gary’s smile falters a bit as his eyes cut over to take in Mick. He rests his hands on his knees and rubs one thumb over the other as he continues the lie Mick started. “We’re about the same height, I’m only a little taller. The dragon wanted him, so we had to fool it into thinking I was him. And my time currier made it easier for John to get around.”

Neron regards them silently for a moment, then asks, “Are you still a virgin?”

Gary’s laugh is slightly hollow. He leans his head back against the wall behind them. “Nearly everyone on the Waverider offered to help me out with that. Definitely not a virgin.”

“That was fun,” Mick comments.

“It was,” Gary agrees.

Maybe they’re taking the lying a bit too far, but it’s worth it for the frustration on Neron’s face.

“Enough,” Neron glares at them.

Mick points at himself. “He’s currently sleeping with me.”

“You and Johnny?” Neron questions.

“He’s trying to get over,” Mick pauses to wave his hand at Neron. “I recently got out of a thirty year relationship. Grief does stupid shit to your head.”

Neron tilts his head as he regards Mick. He smiles slowly. It’s not pleasant. 

“It’s not the Nerd you want,” Mick continues.

“No, I don’t believe I do,” Neron agrees. “Thirty years is a long time.”

“It was.”

Neron licks his lips. “You’re coming with me. Gary will stay here.”

As Mick’s led away he tells himself he didn’t do the stupid thing. He’s just stalling. He knows how to broker a deal. Neron’s doesn’t have anything he wants anyway.


End file.
